This review provides an overview of the current state of solar panel coatings with various functionalities such as self-cleaning, anti-reflection, anti-fogging, and self-healing.
What is a solar panel nano coating?
A solar panel nano coating is a specialized, ultra-thin layer applied to the surface of solar panels. It enhances the panel's performance by providing properties such as hydrophobicity (water repelling), oleophobicity (oil repelling), UV damage protection, and resistance to environmental factors.
In this review, the current state of fabrication of solar panel coatings and their properties, including surface morphology, wettability, electrical conductivity and light transparency characteristics, are discussed.
What are the different types of solar panel coatings?
In order to meet the requirement of functionalized solar panel coatings, several different types of coatings, such as, antireflective, self-cleaning (i.e., superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic), photoconductive (i.e., photocatalytic), self-healing, antimicrobial etc. have been proposed by a number of investigators.
Can coatings improve solar panels' self-cleaning properties?
Coatings of solar panels to increase their self-cleaning property involve two types of films, such as, superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic films. Self-cleaning nano-films are being considered as potential coatings for improving the efficiency of PV modules.
Why should solar panels be coated with a thin coating layer?
The surface treatment of solar panels with thin coating layer (s) would increase its potential to protect the reflectors and absorbents from corrosion, dirt and reflection loses . Self-cleaning coatings ease the removal of dust from the solar panels that in turn increases their energy conversion efficiency.
Why do we need a solar panel coating?
Hence, solar panel coating materials need to be designed in order to maximize transparency, in turn, to minimize reflectance of incident light over a broad range of wavelengths. Moths' eye exhibiting similar features by using their non-close-packed (ncp) nipples is the best example of antireflective phenomenon found in nature.